Boot or shoe



(No Model) L. HILL.

No. 587,483. I Patented A 3,1897:

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

LEBBEUS HILL, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT OR SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,483, dated August3, 1897.

Application filed January 30, 1897. Serial No. 621,266. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEBBEUs HILL, of Lynn, in the county of Essex andState of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Boots or Shoes,of which the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters and figures onthe drawingsrepresenting like parts.

This invention has for its object to provide an article ofmanufacture-t0 wit, a boot or shoecontaining a novel combination ofcooperating features or elements constructed and arranged with especialreference to the adaptation or use of the boot or shoe for bicycle andhorseback riding and other athletic purposes.

The principal aim of my invention has been to provide a boot or shoewhich, though it may be highthat is, made to reach nearly or quite tothe knee-is nevertheless capable of convenient and economicalmanufacture, and one which may be opened forapplication to and removalfrom the foot with the same facility as the ordinary Bal shoe of lesserheight and different construction now commonly found upon the market,and, further, a boot or shoe which while upon the foot and which whileembracing not only the instep and ankle portion thereof for a greater orless portion above the ankle is nevertheless free to permit independentand full expansion and contraction both of the instep portion and in thevicinity of or above or below the ankle.

Such a shoe as involves my novel combination of features permits theutmost freedom of independent action at both sides of the foot and aboveand below the ankle, making it an extremely desirable boot or shoe forthe purposes above referred to, for which it is especially designed.

My invention generally consists in a high top boot the upper of whichis, divided horizontally, the divided parts at their adjacent edgesbeing left free for a greater or less distance in order that they mayhave a certain amount of independent movement one relatively to theother, one or both said parts within the limits of their free edgesbeingmade expansible in desired manner to thereby parts of the upper,together with a conjoint expansion and contraction of the two parts asmay be necessary to perfectly adapt the shoe to the particular use towhich it may for the time being be put.

In the drawings illustrating my invention, Figure 1, in side elevation,shows one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2, an enlarged detail of aportion of the upper of the shoe shown in Fig. 1 adjacent thedividing-line; Fig. 3, a top or plan view of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a verticalsection on the dotted linen? 00, Fig. 2; Fig. 5, an inner face view ofone of the sides of the top; Fig. 6, a side elevation of a modifiedembodiment of my invention; Fig. 7, an enlarged detail of a partthereof, and Fig. 8 a top or plan view of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, in the embodiment ofmy invention there shown the boot or shoe comprises the usual vamp andquarter or heel portions to b, providedwith a suitable sole a and heelZ) and the front and back portions 0 c of the upper, between which isarranged at each side of the shoe an expansible panel or portion d ofdesired shape or material, preferably elastic goriug, preferably shapedas shown, I having found such shape to be excellently adapted formeeting the difierent lines of draft upon the upper while the shoe is inuse. I

To attain the object of my invention, I have extended the upper to forma top portion, shown as comprising the front and back top partsce,secured to or otherwise made integral with the front and backportions 0 c, referred to, said portions 6 e being expansibly connected,as by the strips of goring f f, these latter, in the shoe shown in Figs.1 to 5, being connected by an interposed non-expansible strip 6 thearrangement of the expansible portions extending substantially from thetop to the bottom of both sides of the shoe being preferably the same,although not necessarily so.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, the front andback parts 0 c of the upper are shown as stitch ed firmly to the frontand back parts 6 e of the top portion of the shoe, said parts 0 c and cc being thereby made'in effect integral, the parts c e preferablyoverlapping the parts '0 c, as indicated.

Between the points 1 and 2,where the stitching uniting the partsreferred to terminates, the adjacent overlapping edges of the top andthe upper are left free, as will be best understood by reference toFigs. 3 and 4, so that between the points 1 and 2 both the top of theshoe and the upper proper may have an independent movement one withrelation to the other, and in this instance of my invention suchmovement in either part is or may be an expanding and contractingmovement due to the interposition in such parts of the expansibleportions cl and ff. It will be seen, therefore, that in effect a shoeembodying my invention has an upper which, speaking generally, includesall above the top of the vamp, is horizontally divided, as at the line 12, with the edges of the adjacent upper and lower di vided parts leftfree, as between the points 1 and 2, for independent relative movement,both said parts being made expansible Within the limits of said freeedges, as by the goring shown or otherwise, to enable said parts toindependently expand and contract or adjust themselves to the particularshape or form Within the shoe at such points, and also to have aconjoint expansion and contraction for different sizes and forflexibility of the shoe when in use.

It is evident that by providing the integral front and back edges orportions of the upper at both sides of the shoe with theindependently-expansible portions arranged between said integral frontand back portions, notwithstanding there is provision for independentexpansion and contraction when neces sary, yet there is, by reason ofthe integral front and back portions extending past both expansibleportions, a certain responsive expansion and contraction of oneexpansible portion whenever the other expansible portion at the sameside of the shoe is changed to any considerable degree. In other words,the arrangement of the independently-expansible upper and lower portionsat both sides of the shoe between integral front and back portionscombines in the same side of the shoe the independent expansion andcontraction of the expansible portions when necessary, and at the sametime provides a cooperative or responsive expansion and contraction ofboth under certain conditions, frequently present in riding and walking,so that I combine in one structure the advantages of a conjoint orcooperative expansion and contraction and the independent expansion andcontraction, thus providing for the widest possible ease andadaptability of the shoe when upon the foot.

My construction, aside from its constructional features just described,possesses the added advantage that it can be made from material now athand. For example, elastic goring is now made in width never exceedingeight inches-that is, the obtainable goring is eight inches in width andsince the goring must be introduced so that the width is the distancefrom the top to the bottom of the shoe it is evident that as at presentprovided it is impossible to obtain goring of sufficient width to extendfrom the top to the bottom of a high top shoe.

My invention, as described, provided for the purpose of increasing theflexibility and adj ustability in the high top shoe also furnishes aconvenient means of utilizing goring of the width now put upon themarket, which is best done by the overlapping of the adjacent edges ofthe divided upper and lower parts of the upper.

In Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, the construction is substantially the same,except that the top parts 6 and e are connected by a single piece ofgoring f without the interposed middle non-expansible part 6 (shown inFig. 1,) these two constructions well illustrating the range ofadaptability both as to style and construction, which is possible for myinvention.

A boot or shoe containing my invention is open substantially at thefront from the top to a point below the instep for such a distance aswill enable the boot or shoe to be applied to and removed from the footWithout necessary expansion and contraction of the sides of the same, asis necessary in Congress types of shoes, from which my invention must bedistinguished, and lacing, as shown, or other suitable means is providedfor closing this front opening and the boot or shoe upon the foot andfor adjusting, if desirable, the expansibility or expansion andcontraction of the sides thereof.

As before suggested, it is essential that both sides of the shoe havethe integral and expansible portions arranged to provide for certainmovements and to present certain characteristics set forth in the claim;yet it is not essential to my invention that the shapes orparticulardetails in the arrangement of the goring at the opposite sides of theshoe be identical in all cases.

The overlapping of the adjacent edges of the independently-movable topand bottom portions of the upper provides a tight joint at the meetingpoint of the two parts and furnishes opportunity for a more or lessornamental construction, although it is not necessary in my inventionthat the top and bottom parts actually overlap, as in some instancesthey may be brought together one opposite the other and the jointclosed, if need be, by other means than overlapping.

lVhile for the most economical form of construction I prefer that thehorizontal line of division of the upper extend entirely around the shoeacross the non-expansible or integral as well as the expansible portionsthereof, yet in some instances it may be desirable that the divided partof the shoe embraces only the expansible portions thereof, leaving thenon-expansible portion divided or not, as desired.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

As an article of manufacture, a high top boot or shoe having a frontopening extending from the top of the shoe to a point below the instepthereof to admit the foot without necessarily stretching or expandingthe sides of the shoe, means to close said open front and the shoe uponthe foot for use, both sides said shoe being provided withnon-'expansible portions extending substantially from the top tothe-bottom of the shoe at the front and back thereof, and expansibleportions also extending substantially from the top to the bottom of theshoe and arranged between said non-expansible portions, both sides ofsaid shoe being horizontally divided between their front and backportions with the adjacent edges of said divided portions left free andindependent for a distance between said nonexpansible front and backportions for independent expansion and contraction of the same at bothsides of the foot, the degree or extent of such expansion andcontraction both across the instep and adjacent and above the ankleportions of the shoe and the conjoint action of the upper and lowerexpansible portions of the sides of said shoe being variable by thefastening means for said front opening, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LEBBEUS HILL.

Witnesses: v

JOHN C. EDWARDS, GEO. W. GREGORY.

